There are many situations in which surge protection is desired to protect equipment from electrical surges caused by nature or power-line fluctuations. Electronic surge protection components known in the industry include, for example, metal-oxide varistors, arc gaps, gas discharge tubes, etc.
As the known electronic surge protection components are exposed to power-line surges, the electronic surge protection components absorb much of the energy of the surge, limiting the amount of surge energy getting to other equipment on the power line(s). Each time the electronic surge protection components absorb such energy, the life of such electronic surge protection components decreases, until, eventually there is little surge protection capability remaining, at which time, the power-line circuit that was protected by that surge protection components is no longer protected.
Often, several surge protectors are deployed to protect individual circuits of an electrical wiring system. Take for example, a gas station arrangement having a car wash, lighting, several dispensing bays, car vacuum systems, an air compressor, inside-store register systems, inside lighting, refrigeration, etc. It is important to have each individual circuit of such an arrangement individually protected so if the power grid experiences a surge, the surge from the power grid is mitigated before reaching the devices on each protected circuit and so that if one of the devices (e.g., the outdoor lighting) on the protected circuit experiences a surge, the surge is mitigated before reaching devices on other circuits.
In the past, surge protection systems offered multiple circuit protection, but as discussed above, as surges occur in one or several circuits, the entire surge protection system need be replaced or repaired, requiring removal by an experienced electrician. During the time when such surge protection systems are being repaired/replaced, each circuit protected by these surge protection systems go without power until the surge protection system is replaced, which is not desired as many such applications require 24-hour operation and shutting down several circuits to replace a multi-circuit surge protection system often requires closing the entire operation (e.g., lack of lighting is not acceptable for safety reasons, etc.).
What is needed is a system that will provide for individual replacement of surge protection for individual circuits without the need of an electrician.